Herbert Smith Freehills VS response help.

[OVLD68]

Hi, below is my response to:

Why are you interested in pursuing a career at Herbert Smith Freehills? Max 300 words


[REMOVED]

 

[sammm10101]

I am no expert, but:

I thought the first paragraph was really great- the first few sentences completely sold me.

Somehow, I feel that despite you having many real achievements, you don't sell them as well as you could have done. I'd also get rid of the 'trulys' and 'genuinelys', as it gives you a tiny bit more space to maybe flesh something else out further. In particular your pro bono work seems super marketable and interesting, I think you should really hammer home why it makes you so compatible with the firm, and what it has taught you that is distinctly applicable to HSF.

This ties into the last paragraph, where I just feel you should reorient it all slightly to be more focussed on why it makes you want to work for them, rather than why you are a good candidate. Though, I understand this is a bit of a blurry distinction to make though.

I hope this helps. Again, am by no means an expert. )

 

[OVLD68]

I am no expert, but:

I thought the first paragraph was really great- the first few sentences completely sold me.

Somehow, I feel that despite you having many real achievements, you don't sell them as well as you could have done. I'd also get rid of the 'trulys' and 'genuinelys', as it gives you a tiny bit more space to maybe flesh something else out further. In particular your pro bono work seems super marketable and interesting, I think you should really hammer home why it makes you so compatible with the firm, and what it has taught you that is distinctly applicable to HSF.

This ties into the last paragraph, where I just feel you should reorient it all slightly to be more focussed on why it makes you want to work for them, rather than why you are a good candidate. Though, I understand this is a bit of a blurry distinction to make though.

I hope this helps. Again, am by no means an expert. )

Thank you for the advice, and having read it I agree. I am going to rewrite it and post it.

Can I also just say that I love your PFP 😂

 

[sammm10101]

Thank you for the advice, and having read it I agree. I am going to rewrite it and post it.

Can I also just say that I love your PFP 😂

Hahaha thank you, gay peter is who I aspire to be.
And no worries, I hope it helped

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi, below is my response to:

Why are you interested in pursuing a career at Herbert Smith Freehills? Max 300 words


Professionally, Herbert Smith Freehills' reputation as a global leader in both litigation and corporate law deeply resonates with my career aspirations. The firm's "twin-engines" approach aligns perfectly with my desire to explore both contentious and transactional work before specialising. HSF's involvement in groundbreaking cases, such as the UK's first deferred prosecution, excites me as someone eager to tackle novel legal challenges. Similarly, the firm's strong presence in sectors like TMT and Energy, areas I'm particularly interested in, further cements my enthusiasm for HSF.

Personally, my interest in HSF was truly cemented after attending a high achievers event open to the highest performing students at my university. The HSF representatives' welcoming nature and patience in providing insights into life at the firm left a lasting impression. Their genuine openness stood out among other firms I've encountered and I was particularly captivated by a trainee's account of their varied experiences - from working on high-profile corporate deals in London to handling complex competition cases in Brussels. This international exposure and diversity of work is exactly what I'm seeking in my legal career.

As for why I'm a good fit for HSF, my experiences have cultivated the skills HSF values. My paper on XYZ, recognized by the XYS, demonstrates my intellectual curiosity and ability to tackle complex legal issues. Similarly, as Lead Legal Advisor for XYZ, - a pro bono scheme which provides commercial advice to small businesses - I've honed my skills in applying legal principles to real-world business problems. Furthermore, my role as a Freshfields Campus Ambassador has sharpened my commercial awareness, while my language skills in German and Arabic align with HSF's global outlook. Lastly, my positions as Wellbeing and Digital Ambassador at XYZ University reflect my commitment to fostering a positive work environment and embracing technology in legal practice - both areas where HSF truly excels compared to other firms.



Obviously feel free to tear it to shreds and tell me how I can improve on it. I obviously wasn't sure if I should remove the part of why I'm a good fit to the skills and attributes section? In that section I was going to do something similar by saying which skills I'll bring to the VS, what experience I have that demonstrates this and how I will apply it to the vac scheme.

Just a couple of small points - avoid contracted words. Always go with the full formal version instead -

I am instead of I’m
I have instead of I’ve

Also ensure you are using U.K. rather than US spellings - recognised rather than recognized

 

[asplawyer100]

Hi, here's my response to: "Introduce us to a topic you know about and explain why it interests you. (We are looking for structure and succinctness in your answer. Your answer does not need to be related to law or Herbert Smith Freehills and it is a chance for us to find out more about you and your interests.). Max 300 words"

I decided to keep it law related. I know they mentioned it could be about anything, but I thought it best to keep it to an area of law that deeply interests me and I know a lot about.

I was just wondering if anyone could tear this shreds. Please let me know if it sounds genuine and if I should actually focus on a law related area? Devolution is something that really interests me and a paper I wrote on it has won an award, but I'm not sure if this is what they are looking for or if I should keep it commercial focus or completely move away altogether. I'm also not sure how well this lets then "find out" about me and my interests.

Response:
One area that deeply fascinates me is devolution. This interest was sparked when I wrote a paper on the challenges devolution poses to the traditional UK constitution, which won XYZ recognition in the XYZ. What really captivated me was its ability to challenge my understanding of fairness, equality, and representation on a governmental level.

Unlike federal systems, where powers are typically distributed evenly, the UK's approach varies significantly across Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and England. This asymmetry raises complex questions about equality, representation, and the very nature of the British state. I'm particularly drawn to exploring how devolution impacts policy divergence. For instance, Scotland's distinct approach to university tuition fees compared to England's highlights how regional autonomy can lead to markedly different outcomes within the same country. These variations demonstrate how devolution is more than a political theory—it directly impacts people's everyday lives, which fuels my passion for the topic.

The ongoing debates surrounding devolution also captivate me. Questions about further powers for the devolved nations, the potential for English regional devolution, and the implications for the UK's constitutional future are issues that I'm eager to explore in my upcoming research paper module.

Looking ahead, I'm deeply interested in comparing the UK's current devolution model with historical proposals for an Imperial Federation. This early 20th-century concept, which envisioned a federal union of Britain and its self-governing colonies, offers a fascinating counterpoint to modern devolution. Could the UK's governance have evolved differently under such a model? How might the balance of powers and autonomy across the UK have differed under an alternative federal structure? This comparative analysis could offer valuable insights into alternative models of governance, particularly in how they balance local autonomy with centralised power.

Ultimately, devolution's complex and evolving nature make it an endlessly fascinating subject for me.

All the successful past applications I've seen have answered this question in a completely non law related manner. They are really trying to gauge your interests and learn more about you, whilst evaluating your writing style. I personally wouldn't submit this but it's up to you.

 

[OVLD68]

All the successful past applications I've seen have answered this question in a completely non law related manner. They are really trying to gauge your interests and learn more about you, whilst evaluating your writing style. I personally wouldn't submit this but it's up to you.

Thank you for the reply. I’m not sure where I should go from this though honestly. My other interests are childish essentially like comic books or sports I like watching. I have a big interest in history, predominantly the end of the Cold War, but I’m not sure if this is enough? Should I focus on a number of interests or just one?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thank you for the reply. I’m not sure where I should go from this though honestly. My other interests are childish essentially like comic books or sports I like watching. I have a big interest in history, predominantly the end of the Cold War, but I’m not sure if this is enough? Should I focus on a number of interests or just one?

This topic is fine to use. Sometimes candidates focus on more academic topics connected to law and its not an issue to do so, as long as it comes from a genuine point of interest.

I think you need to take it more as informing someone of the topic though - the basis of your answer seems to be much more focused on why you are interested in it, rather than why someone else should be. I am learning about your interests, but I don't feel I am getting a sense of learning something about devolution from what you have written.

You are also still using contracted words though - so make sure you change those!

 

[OVLD68]

This topic is fine to use. Sometimes candidates focus on more academic topics connected to law and its not an issue to do so, as long as it comes from a genuine point of interest.

I think you need to take it more as informing someone of the topic though - the basis of your answer seems to be much more focused on why you are interested in it, rather than why someone else should be. I am learning about your interests, but I don't feel I am getting a sense of learning something about devolution from what you have written.

You are also still using contracted words though - so make sure you change those!

Thank you Jessica, the contracted words part is a force of habit to save words; I’ll go through and change them. Have you known of candidates who have been successful writing about something law related? I know this is an area of law completely separate from the work HSF ultimately does, but I fear it may sound like something I’m saying to sound good when I do genuinely have an interest in it.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thank you Jessica, the contracted words part is a force of habit to save words; I’ll go through and change them. Have you known of candidates who have been successful writing about something law related? I know this is an area of law completely separate from the work HSF ultimately does, but I fear it may sound like something I’m saying to sound good when I do genuinely have an interest in it.

Yes - we have seen people pick topics that are more closely related to law. It is not an issue to do so.